Loom



' H. L. SHUTTLEWORTH Aug. 6, 1935.

Low

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1933 X J INVENTOR BY M @5 5 H SATTORNEYS Mg. 6, 1935. H. L. SHUTTLEWCSRTH 2,010,115

1 LOOM Filed Oct. 20, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 2 J IEIVENTOR BY Z M 3W fiATTORNEYS .1935- H. L. SHUTTLEWORTH 2,010,115

LOOM

Filed 001;. 20, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOM Howard L. Shuttleworth, Amsterdam, N.Y., assignor to Mohawk Carpet Mills, Inc., Amsterdam, N. Y., a,corporation of New York Application October 20, 1933, Serial No. 694,361

1 Claim. (01. 139-7) 5 perior to Axminster fabrics as heretoforeproduced in that it contains a greater number of straight warp threadsthan have previously been employed in fabrics of this variety, the newmaterial consequently having a firmer and more solid back and havingitspile tufts bound more securely in place than prior Axminster fabrics.The new loom for weaving this fabric resembles an ordinary Axminsterloom in its general features of construction and offers the advantagesof the high emciency operation characteristic of such looms. It differsfrom the usual 'Axminloom in various respects and these novel featuresmake it possible to weave the new fabric therein.

The looms to which this invention relates are those in which the pile ofthe fabric is made of yarns which are drawn from separate suppliesduring the operation of the loom, inserted in the fabric, and loopedabout weft shots, and the term Axminster is used throughout thisdescription to designate fabrics which have a pile produced in thismanner. Since in the Weaving of such fabrics, each pile tuft is made ofyarn drawn from separate supply, the fabrics may have a pattern on thepile which is sharp and clean-cut and every tuft in the fabric may be ofa different color from all the others so that extremely elaboratepatterns may be produced. Such fabrics thus have an advantage overWilton materials in which the number of colors in the pilepattern islimited to a relatively smallnumber.

Another feature of Axminster fabrics which them preferable to those ofboth the Wilton and tapestry varieties is that the pile may have asubstantially greater height, whereas in Wilton and tapestry fabrics,the height of the pile that can be produced is restricted by practicallimitations on the height of the wire used in the 100m for making thepile loops. Also, in ,Axminster fabrics, the tuft yarns are employedonly for the tufts and there are no portions of the yarns which extendthrough the fabric as dead yarns and, therefore, represent a Waste as inWilton goods.

In fabrics of the tapestry type, there are no dead pile yarns but thepile is made of warp threads, and in order to provide such fabrics witha pattern on the pile, the warp pile yarns are printed before they.enter the Ioom and the areas of different color on the, pile threadsmust correspond exactly in length to the lengths of the tufts. As theprinting is done on a drum, the circumference of which is the length ofa single strand of pile yarn required in the lengthof the rug, forexample, it will be apparent that variations in the height of the pileon tapestry fabrics require the use of drums of different diameters, andbecause of the cost of the drums and. particularly those of the largediameter required for pile of a substantial height, there is a practicallimit to the height of the pile that such a fabric can have and to theamount of variation in the pile height.

Axminster fabrics not only have the numerous features of advantage overWilton and tapestry goods above mentioned but, in addition, they can beproduced more cheaply, since Axminster looms, in which the filling isinserted by a needle, operate more emciently and with less attentionthan Wilton and tapestry looms. Because of the lower cost as well as thepossibility of producing elaborate patterns with a high pile, Axminsterfabrics have thus -e p.;, oyed the greatest vogue, but as heretoforemade, they are inferior to Wilton and tapestry fabrics with respect tothe fullness and stiffness of the back.

In the weaving of Axminster materials, it is customary to employ bothstraight warp threads binder warp threads, and the number and stiffnessof the straight warp threads used determines the weight of the body ofthe goods. For the insertion of the tuft yarns, two types of mechanismare used, and most looms in this country are of the tube frame insertiontype, in which the pile yarn is supplied to the loom by tube frames,each of which contains a spool on which the supplies of yarns for a rowof tufts across the fabric are wound with the ends of the yarns from thesupplies passing out through tubes mounted on the frame. In theoperation of inserting the tuft yarns in this type of loom as heretoforeconstructed, the frames are successively removed from their transportingchains and dipped into the Warp threads so that the ends of the tubespass between the Warp threads with the exposed lengths of pile yarnslying below the warp threads. As the ends of the tubes pass through thegroup of warp threads during the dipping, all the warp threads enter thespaces between adjacent tubes on the frame. After the yarns have thusbeen passed between the warp threads, a

weft shot is inserted and beaten up to hold them in place and the tubeframes are then raised so as to draw off from each supply the amount ofyarn required for one tuft. Thereafter, the yarn ends which lie belowthe warp threads are passed upwardly between the warp threads to loopthe yarns about the holding weft shot and this is done by a comb whichis raised so that the teeth effect the looping of the yarns while thewarp threads enter the spaces between the teeth.

The ends of the tubes on the frame lie so close together that the spacesbetween them can accommodate only a few small threads and this is truealso of the spaces between the teeth of the comb. Because of these spacelimitations, AX- minster fabrics as now made usually include only a fewstraight warp threads and one customary Axminster weave includes asingle set of binder warps and one or two sets of straight warps, with astraight warp thread of each set lying between adjacent binder warps. Inanother AX- minster fabric, two sets of binder warps are employed andthey cross the weft shots in pairs made up of a warp thread of each set.In that case, there is a straight warp of each set lying betweenadjacent pairs of binder warps. In all these Axminster fabrics; the piletufts lie between the warp threads in adjacent reed splits and it hasnot been possible to employ more than two straight warp threads beneatheach pile tuft. The spaces beneath the tufts are thus not com pletelyfilled with straight warp threads and the fabrics have a soft flimsyback and the tufts are not firmly bound in place at the bottom of eachtuft loop. The result is that it is necessary to use sizing on the backof the fabric to give it the required stiffness and body and to bind thetufts properly in place and this adds substantially to the cost ofproduction without giving as full and stiff a body as could be producedif it were possible to use more and heavier straight warp threads belowthe tufts. In my co-pending application, Serial No. 694: 070 filed Oct.18, 1933, now Pat. No. 1,991,179, issued Feb. 12, 1935, I have discloseda novel Axminster fabric and a method of weaving such a fabric, the newfabric containing sufficient warp threads in the plane below the bottomof the pile tufts to fill these spaces completely and make the backheavy and Stiff. In this new fabric, the straight warp threads may beboth of larger size and also greater in number than those previouslyused and the new fabric thus not only has the stiff full bodycharacteristic of Wilton. materials but also may be produced with thesharp clean-cut and elaborate pile designs and with the economy inmanufacture hitherto attained only the weaving of Axminster fabrics.

The present invention is directed to the provision of a loom for theweaving of the new material and offers an advantageous mechanism for thepractice of the new method.

The new loom may be used for producing all the usual forms of ordinaryAxminster fabric as well as of the new fabric, but its construction andmode of operation vary slightly, depending on the type of the fabricbeing made. Accordingly, for purposes of explanation, one form ofv thenew loom is illustrated and described which is suitable for theproduction of a fabric of the standard three-shot three-plane varietywhich includes straight warps in upper and lower levels and a single setof binder warps. In this fabric, the straight warps of the upper levelare relatively few in number and preferably of soft cotton thread, whilemany warp threads are-used in the lower level and these warp threads areof heavier material and may be made of jute, for example. The new loomcontains separate beams for the binder warp threads, the light straightwarp threads, and the heavy straight warp threads and separate heddlesfor these three sets of. warp threads and means by which these heddlesmay be manipulated for the purpose of carrying on the new method. Italso preferably contains a reed of novel construction by means of whichthe binder warp threads and small straight warp threads are kept inproper relative position during the weaving operation. The loom has nocomb and it is so constructed that the looping of the pile yarns iscarried on by the means by which the yarns are inserted.

For a better understanding of the loom of the invention, reference maybe made to the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows one form of the newloom in longitudinal section, various parts being shown conventionallyand other parts of standard construction being omitted;

Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail sectional views of certain parts ofthe loom, showing the manner in which the loom operates;

Figure 6 is an end view partly in section of one form of reed which canbe employed advantageously in the new loom;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the new reed;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line B-8 of Figure 9 of afabric which can be produced on the loom;

Figures 9, 10, and 11 are longitudinal sectional views of differentforms of fabric that can be woven on the loom, and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary transverse section of the loom showing theheddle mechanism and needle motion. Referring to the drawings, the loomas shown includes side frame members 82, between which extend abreastbeam i ia and a breastplate lib over which the completed fabric isdrawn by takeup rolls i3 and M. The loom is provided with three warpbeams it, Hi, and i? in suitable mountings on the loom frame andassociated with each beam is a suitable let-off mechanism, only one ofwhich is illustrated.

Any suitable let-off mechanism can be used and that shown includes adrum it! at the end of the beam around which is looped a brakeband i9,one end of which is anchored at 29. The other end of the brakeband isattached to one arm 2! of a bell crank pivotally mounted at 22, theother arm 23 of the bell crank carrying suitable weights The warpthreads 25 from the beam are led to one side of a shaft 26, and passedpartly around that shaft and around a shaft 2? to their heddle. Theshaft 27 is mounted in arms 28 fast on the shaft 26 and this shaft isalso provided with an arm 29 carrying weights 3% and another arm 3!which has a projection in position to engage the arm 23 of the bellcrank from the under side.

In the operation of the let-oil, the weights 24 tend to keep thebrakeband tight on its drum and thus prevent rotation of the beam.Similarly, weights 38 act to swing the arms 28 clockwise so that theshaft 2? takes up slack in the warp threads, When the fabric take-uproll advances. it pulls on the warp threads, and when the tensionbecomes sufiiciently great, the shaft 2? is moved counterclockwiseagainst the weights 36. This movement of the shaft causes the arm 35 toengage the arm 23 of the bell crank from beneath and swing the bellcrank counterclockwise. This action releases the brakeband and the beamis free to turn counterclockwise and let oif the warp threads. As soonas the beam moves and the warp threads become slack, the shaft 21 takesup the slack by being swung clockwise by weights 35. The movement of theshaft frees the arm 3i from arm 23 of the bell crank and the weights 24tighten the brakeband and prevent further rotation of the beam.

The warp threads 25, 32 and 33 from the beam l5, l5, and II,respectively, pass through the eyes in heddles 34, 35, and 35,respectively, and these heddles are actuated by cam mechanism not shown.The cams for the heddles 35 and 35 are of standard construction but thecam for heddle is so designed as to give that heddlea movement beyondordinary lower shedding position at one stage in the operation of theloom.

The loom is equipped with a transfer mechanism which includes the usualtransfer arms 31 pivoted on supporting arms 38'journaled on a rod 39,the arms 38 being swung about the rod by levers 45 pivoted on the loomframe and connected to arms 38 by rods 4 l. The levers 40 are providedwith rollers 42 held against the surface of a cam on the shaft 43 bymeans of a spring 4311'. The arms 3'! are provided at their ends withthe usual clutches for removing the tube frames 44 from the transportingchains 45, and the clutches are capable of being swung relative to thearms by rods 45 actuated by arms 41 on a shaft 48 which has an arm 49fast thereon. The arm 49 is connected by a rod 50 to a lever 5| pivotedon a projection from thelever 40 and carrying a roller 52 held againstthe surface of a cam on the "shaft 43 by a spring 52d.

The loom includes the usual lay 53 journaled on a rod 54 and movable byan arm 55 connected by a rod 55 to one end of a lever 5'! pivoted at 58onthe loom frame and provided with a roller .59 held against the surfaceof a cam on shaft 43 by a spring 59a. The retractile movement of the layis limited by a stoppin So on an arm 5| on the frame which is engagedbythearm 55. The weft shots are inserted by a needle driven by the usualneedle motiomnot illustrated. V I

The reed illustrated comprises a dent holder 62 mounted on the lay andcarrying two rows of dents S3 and 64 held in placeby aplate 55. Thedents in the back row 64 are adjustable relative to the dents in. thefront row by means of adjusting screws 56 and the dents 64 cooperatewith the dents 63 to space the warp threads properly, the beating up ofthe weft shots being done by the dents 53 in the usual way.

' Disposed above the warp threads are the usual cooperating knives 61and 58 for severingthe inserted lengths of yarn from the supplies in theusual way.

Figures 2 to 4,incl usive, disclose four successive stages in theweaving of the fabric, shown in Figure 9, which is of the three shotthree plane variety with a single setof binder warp threads. This fabricincludes weft shots t lying above the straight warp threads 33 of theupper level, weft shots l0 lying below the straight warp threads 25 inthe lower level, and weft shots Ti lying between the straight warpthreads of the upper and lower levels, the pile yarns 1 2 being loopedabout the weft shots I l. The binder warp threads 32 cross over all theweft shots69 and-under all the weft shots 15 to hold these weft shots inplace in the fabric. The straight warp threads 25 and 33 are suppliedfrom beams l5 and 11, respectively, and these warp threads aremanipulated by heddles 34 and 36, respectively. The binder warp threads32 are supplied from beam f6 and they are manipulated by heddle 35. The

straight warp threads 25 are many more in number than the straight warpthreads 33 and are usually of heavier material, such as jute.

Considering the shot 69 as the first shot in the cycle, this shot isinserted by needle 13 in a shed formed as illustrated in Figure 2, inwhich the binder warp threads 32 are raised by their heddle 35 andstraight warp threads 25 and 33 are lowered to ordinary sheddingposition by their needles 34 and 36, respectively. After the needle hasbeen retracted, the lay operates to cause the front dents of the reed tobeat up the shot in the usual Way, and, as shown in Figure'3, the nextshot it! is insered in a shed in which the binder warppile yarns are tobe inserted and in order that the tube frames may not have to'pass theyarns between all the warp threads with all these threads received inthe spaces between the tube ends, the straight warp threads 25 are firstlowered by their heddle 34 to the position shown in Figure 4. The warpthreads in this position" are substantially below their ordinary lowershedding position and the movement of the heddle required for thispurpose is effected by the use of a cam of suitable configuration. I

While the straight warp threads25 are being lowered out of the way ofthe tube frame as described. the tube frame is dipped betweentheremaining warp threads 32 and 33. As the frame is lowered by the armstoward the warp threads, it is tilted by the rods 45 so that thetubesare inclined downward and to the left, as the frame is viewed in Figure4, and as the tubes pass 'between the warp threads, the frame isstraightened up so the yarn ends 74 extend out of the tubes to the leftand the extreme ends of the yarns lie above the warp threads. By thismovement of the tubes downward and away from the fell of the fabric andtoward the reed, the inserted yarns form bights, and the bottoms of theyarns rest on a warp plane made up of the straight warp threads 25. v

The warp threads 32 and 33 are now opened, as shown in Figure 5, to forma shed and the needle '13 is inserted in the shed and through i threadsso that the lower ends of the tubes will not be struck by the reed. Thisrising movement of the tube frame causes the exposed end of the pileyarns to be looped about the holding weft shot I i. A new shed is nowformed. as illustrated in Figure 2, with the straight warp threads 25raised from'their extreme downward position to their ordinary lowershedding position. As this shot is inserted, the tube frames are raisedstill further so asto draw off from the supplies the necessary yarn forthe formation of the tufts, and the knives 5! and 68 approach each otherand sever the inserted lengths of yarn from the supplies.

It will be noted that with the learn operating to lower the straightwarp threads to a below ordinary lower shedding position the insertionof the pile yarns by the dip; ng of the tube frame among the warpthreads, the only warp threads which need be received in the spacesbetween the tubes are those designated 32 sition and 33. As shown inFigure 8, the fabric being woven has only one binder warp thread and onestraight warp thread 33 for each longitudinal row of pile tufts 12, butthere are four straight warp threads 25 for each tuft. Since the warpthreads 25 are out of the way of the tube frames during the tuftinserting operation, only one binder warp thread 32 and one straightwarp thread 33 have to be received in each space between adjacent tubesand the space available is quite sufficient for the purpose and there isno difficulty involved in the yarn insertion.

It will also be noted that in the new loom, no

comb is employed and the omission of the comb is possible because of themanner in which the tube frames are handled during the tuft insertion.As the tube frames are dipped down and away from the fell of the fabricso as to form bights of yarn in which the holding weft shot is inserted,the'rising of the tube frame causes the yarns to be looped about theshot and, therefore, no comb is required. If the tube frames weremanipulated in the ordinary manner and had the usual movement downwardand toward the fell of the fabric; the free ends of the tuft yarnsprojecting out of the tub-es would lie below the warp threads and thelooping would have to be completed by a comb. The advantages of loweringthe straight warp threads 25 would then be lost, because the limitedspace between a pair of teeth on the comb would prevent the use of thelarge number of straight warp threads 25 which is required to give thefabric ful heavy body. It is thus the combined use in the loom of the'mechanisms for manipulating the warp threads 25 so that they are out ofthe way of the tube frames during tuft insertion and for dipping thetube frames so that they also effect the looping of the tuft yarns aboutthe holding weft shot which makes it possible to use the large number ofwarp threads 25 in the fabric.

Because of' the manner in which the warp threads are handled in theloom, the loom itself permits the use of even a larger number of thesethreads than may be desirable in the fabric, but ordinarily the warpthreads 25 are used in a sufficient number and size so that the spacebeneath each tuft yarn in the fabric is closed and the bottoms of thetuft loops rest upon these threads. The threads consequently form asubstantially continuous warp plane across the fabric and they thus givethe fabric the desired full stiff body and also help in binding the tuftyarns in position.

Separate beams are used in the loom for the straight warp threads 25 and33 because the warp threads 25 are handled differently from warp threads33 and at one stage in each cycle, the warp threads are lowered to asubstantial extent beyond ordinary shedding position. If both sets ofwarp threads 25 and were mounted on the same beam, they would be underthe same tension and this would interfere with the movement of the warpthreads by their heddle to the position referred to.

In the weaving of a fabric in this loom, it is desirable to insure thatthe binder warp threads 32 and the straight warp threads are maintainedin their proper relative positions and are not moved out of thosepositions by the lowering of the straight warp threads 25 beyondordinary shedding position. The movement of the warp threads 25 to theposition described appears to have a tendency to displace the binderwarp threads 32 and the straight warp threads 2-3 and this effect ismore pronounced when the warp threads 25 are of rough material, such asjute. Accordingly, I have provided the new loom with the double reedpreviously described and in the use of this reed, the correspondingdents of the 1.

two rows 83 and 64 are adjusted to slightly offset positions and warpthreads 32 and 3-3 are passed through the reed in such manner that adent 63 and its corresponding dent E i bear on opposite sides ofindividual warp threads 32 and 33 and thus prevent these warp threadsfrom being displaced during weaving.

The new loom can be used to produce fabrics other than those shown inFig. 9, such for example as those illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. Thefabrics shown in the latter two figures are of the three-shot two-planevariety and include a set of straight warp threads T5 and two sets ofbinder warp threads i6 and H. In the fabric of Figure 10, a cycle ofthree weft shots includes two shots l8 and is which lie above thestraight warp threads l5 and one shot 88 which lies below, the pileyarns 8i being looped about the shot it. The fabric shown in Figure 11is the same as that shown in Figure 10 except that both shots l8 and 8dof each cycle lie below the straight warp threads l5.

In the fabrics shown in Figures 10 and 11, the straight warp threads 15correspond in number, size, and mode of handling to the straight warpthreads 25 of the fabric shown in Figure 9. The warp threads '55 arelowered beyond ordinary lower shedding position during the insertion ofthe tuft yarns and the yarns thus need be inserted only between warpthreads i6 and H. The shed for the holding weft shot is then formedbetween binder warp threads it and H. For the weaving of the fabrics ofFigures 10 and 11, the loom requires only two beams, since both sets ofbinder warp threads are handled in the same manner and thus may be woundon the same beam. A separate beam is required for the straight warpthreads l5 because of the difference in the way these threads arehandled during the weaving.

The mechanism for operating the heddles of the loom is generally ofstandard construction, and each heddle is suspended from the end of alever 82 pivotally mounted at 83 on a suitable part of the loom. Each ofthe levers 82 is pro- Vided with an operating rod 84 connected to alever 85 pivoted on a suitable part of the loom and provided with aroller bearing on the surface of a cam on the main cam shaft 43 of theloom. The cams for the heddles 35 and 36 are of standard construction,but the cam for the heddle 34, which controls the warp threads 25, is soformed as to give that heddle a downward movement beyond ordinary lowershedding position at one stage in the operation of the loom.

The mechanism for inserting the weft is of standard construction, theweft shots being introduced into the sheds by the needle F3 mounted inthe ordinary manner on a carriage 8%, which is movable on a fixed guidemember 88 supported by a suitable extension from the side of the frame.The carriage 81 is connected by a link 89 to the upper end of a swinginglever 98, which is pivotally mounted at 3! on the extension from theloom. A connecting rod 92 is pivotally connected at one end to a stud ata suitable location on the lever 90, and the other end of the connectingrod is pivotally connected by a crank pin to the outer end of a crank 93fast on a shaft 94, mounted in suitable bearings in the extension fromthe frame.

The shaft 94 is driven by a gear 95 meshing with agear 96 on the camshaft 43. The cam shaft is driven in any suitable manner as, forexample, by

means of a gear 91.

The new loom may be used for producing various Axminster fabrics otherthan those disclosed and its use for such purposes will be readilyunderstood by a skilled weaver. For example, it may be employed in theweaving of a two-plane three-shot fabric with a single set of binderwarps, but when such a fabric is woven, it is necessary to employ twosets of straight warp threads, all of which, however, lie in the sameplane in the finished goods. One set of these straight warp threadscorrespond in number, size, and mode of handling to the warp threads 15in the fabric of Figure 10, while the other set is few in number and thethreads are of small size and preferably of cotton. In the weaving ofthis fabric, the set of heavy straight warps is moved beyond ordinaryshedding position during the insertion of the tuft yarns and the shed,in which the holding weft shot is inserted, is formed between the binderwarps and the light straight warps. The use of the additional set oflight straight warps in such a fabric is required in order that a shedmay be formed for the holding weft shot.

While I have disclosed the application of the principles of my inventionin a loom of the tube frame insertion type, it is to be understood thatthe utility of the invention is not limited to looms in which the tuftyarns are introduced by dipping the tube frames into the warp threads,but the invention may also be incorporated in looms of the well-knowngripper type.

What I claim:

A loom for weaving an Axminster fabric con sisting of binder and stufferwarps in sets, one set of warps consisting of relatively heavy stiffthreads and containing more threads than the other sets of warps, piletuft yarns, and weft shots, a plurality of said weft shots constitutinga weaving cycle, which comprises a plurality of heddles, one for eachset of warp threads, for manipulating said sets of warp threads,individual operating means for said heddles for raising and loweringsaid heddles to produce sheds, said operating means for the heddle forsaid set of relatively heavy stiff warp threads lowering said heddle tolower said set of heavy warps beyond ordinary lower shedding position atone stage in each cycle while said operating means for the other heddlesmaintain said heddles in a position in which the warp threads controlledthereby are substantially parallel, tuft yarn inserting means operatingto introduce portions of tuft yarns only through the warps maintainedsubstantially parallel with said portions forming bights extendingthrough said parallel warps and with the free ends of said portionslying adjacent the fell of the fabric and above all said sets of warps,a needle and operating mechanism therefor for inserting a weft shot ineach shed formed by the heddles, shot inserted immediately after theintroduc tion of the portions of tuft yarn lying within the bightsthereof and said heddle operating mechanism moving the heddles for allsaid sets of warps to place said warps in substantially parallelposition immediately following the insertion of said shot through saidbights, and a reed for beating up inserted weft shots, said tuft yarninserting means drawing said inserted portions of yarn tightly about theshot inserted in said bights immediately after the beating up of saidshot by said reed.

HOWARD L. SHUTTLEWORTH.

